Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Autopsy Rules ICE Detainee’s Death a Homicide, Contradicting DHS Account

The finding contradicts DHS’ suicide-intervention account, prompting moves to preserve eyewitness testimony.

Overview

  • The El Paso County medical examiner determined Geraldo Lunas Campos died from asphyxia due to neck and torso compression, ruling the Jan. 3 death a homicide.
  • The autopsy notes he became unresponsive while being physically restrained, documenting neck and eyelid hemorrhages, abrasions, and rib fractures, with trazodone and hydroxyzine detected.
  • ICE first cited “medical distress,” and DHS later described a suicide attempt during which he “violently resisted,” a version not reflected in the medical examiner’s report.
  • A federal judge temporarily blocked the deportation of two detainees who say they witnessed the restraint, preserving their testimony for a planned wrongful-death suit, with the order in effect until Feb. 4.
  • Camp East Montana, a privately operated tent facility at Fort Bliss, has recorded three recent deaths and faces heightened scrutiny as questions persist over who employed the guards involved and the scope of investigations.